Sydney - Australia 2004 - page 90

the city from the airport. There's a $3.50 (US$2.30) toll from the airport to the
city (the taxi driver pays the toll and then adds the cost to your fare), but there
is no toll to the airport. A 10% credit card charge applies. Note: A dispute with
Visa means this credit card isn't accepted by Australian taxis, so make sure you
have an alternative card, or get money from the ATM or currency exchange
booths at the airport.
BY TRAIN Central Station ( & 13 15 00 for CityRail and 13 22 32 for
Countrylink interstate trains) is the main city and interstate train station. It's at
the top of George Street in downtown Sydney. All interstate trains depart from
here, and it's a major CityRail hub. Many city buses leave from neighboring
Railway Square for places like Town Hall and Circular Quay.
BY BUS The Greyhound Pioneer Australia terminal is on the corner of
Oxford and Riley streets in Darlinghurst ( & 13 20 30 in Australia, or 02/9283
5977). McCafferty's ( & 13 14 99 in Australia) operates from the Sydney
Coach Terminal ( & 02/9281 9366 ) on the corner of Eddy Avenue and Pitt
Street, bordering Central Station.
BY CRUISE SHIP Cruise ships dock at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in
The Rocks, just opposite the Sydney Opera House, or in Darling Harbour if
The Rocks facility is already occupied by another vessel.
BY CAR Drivers coming into Sydney from the north enter the city on the
Pacific Highway, drivers from the south enter the city via the M5 and Princes
highways, and those coming from the west enter via the Great Western Highway.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The Sydney Visitor Centre, 106 George St., The Rocks ( & 02/9255 1788 ), is
a good place for maps, brochures, and general tourist information, including for
towns in New South Wales; it also has two floors of displays on The Rocks. The
office is open daily from 9am to 6pm. Also in The Rocks is the National Parks
& Wildlife Centre ( & 02/9247 8861 ), in Cadmans Cottage, 110 George St.
Elsewhere City Host information kiosks, located near the Town Hall (George
St.), at Circular Quay (corner of Pitt and Alfred sts.) and at Martin Place
(between Elizabeth and Castlereagh sts.) provide comprehensive information on
Sydney. Two more Visitor Centres are located at the International Terminal at
the airport and at Darling Harbour. If you want to inquire about destinations
and holidays within Sydney or the rest of New South Wales, call Tourism New
South Wales 's help line at & 13 20 77 in Australia.
Electronic information on cinema, theater, exhibitions, and other events can
be accessed through Talking Guides ( & 13 16 20 in Australia). You'll need a
code number for each topic, which you can find on page 3 of the A-K section
of the Sydney Yellow Pages. The service costs the same as a local call.
A good website is CitySearch Sydney (www.sydney.citysearch.com.au), for
events, entertainment, dining, and shopping.
CITY LAYOUT
Sydney is one of the largest cities in the world by area, covering more than 1,730
sq. km (675 sq. miles) from the sea to the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
Thankfully the city center is compact. The jewel in Sydney's crown is its harbor,
which empties into the South Pacific Ocean through headlands known simply
as North Head and South Head. On the southern side of the harbor are the high
rises of the city center; the Sydney Opera House; a string of beaches, including
Bondi; and the inner-city suburbs. The Sydney Harbour Bridge and a tunnel